Tina Fey and Amy Poehler took over as hosts of the Golden Globes this year – but made sure to take swipe at former host Ricky Gervais (Picture: Getty)

Former Golden Globes host Ricky Gervais was given a dose of his own medicine when his hosting successors Tina Fey and Amy Poehler ripped into him.

Turning on the absent British actor, who made enemies with half of Hollywood in previous years with his gags, the duo joked The Office star’s career has since ended.

‘Ricky Gervais could not be here tonight because he is no longer technically in show business,’ quipped 30 Rock star Fey.

Poehler, 41, added: ‘We want to assure you that we have no intention of being edgy or offensive tonight because, as Ricky learned the hard way, when you run afoul of the Hollywood Foreign Press, they make you host this show two more times.’

The duo raised plenty of laughs on the night (Picture: Getty)

But if the celebs were breathing a sigh of relief that Ricky wasn’t around, they soon started tightening up when the hosts started homing in on guests at LA’s Beverly Hilton Hotel.

Panning Anne Hathaway’s previous efforts at hosting the Oscars two years ago with James Franco, 42-year-old Fey quipped: ‘Anne Hathaway, you gave a stunning performance in Les Miserables. I have not seen someone so totally alone and abandoned like that since you were on stage with James Franco at the Oscars.’

She then homed in on serial celeb dater Taylor Swift after her break up with One Directions Harry Styles, joking: ‘You know what Taylor Swift? You stay away from Michael J. Fox‘s son.’

Tina and Amy teamed up to host the ceremony (Picture: EPA)

Next up was Django Unchained director Quentin Tarantino, who Fey said: ‘Quentin Tarantino is here, star of all my sexual nightmares.’

After Jodie Foster came out to the room Poehler gleefully said: ‘We’re going home with Jodie Foster!’

And the pair’s final offering came after a surprise appearance from former US President Bill Clinton, who Poehler described as: ‘That was Hillary Clinton‘s husband!’

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